Hearts and Minds Nourished by Nature

What is the difference between management and leadership? Horses teach us a great deal about leadership skills and there is an excellent book by Mark Rashid dedicated to the subject. In any herd of horses there is always a leader. However, the style of leadership varies as much in horses as it does in humans.With horses there are two basic types of leader, one rule by dominance, and the other leads by example. Those that lead by example are referred to as ‘passive leaders’ and are chosen by other members of the herd who willingly follow them.The other type of leader, the one that rules by dominance, is referred to as an alpha. These horses use biting, kicking, posturing, threats, and driving out of the herd those who do not conform to their leadership. Passive leaders are usually older horses somewhere in the middle of the herd's pecking order. They are quiet and consistent in their day-to-day behaviour and don't appear to have much ambition to move up the ‘alpha’ ladder. As a result, there appears to be no reason for them to use force to continually declare their position in the herd. Alphas, on the other hand, are far from quiet and consistent in their behaviour. They are pushy and can make unprovoked attacks on other members of the herd. As a result of their unpredictable and unreasonable behaviour, the majority of the horses in a herd will try to avoid all contact with the alpha where possible.The reason for this avoidance is that horses will use the least amount of energy possible throughout their normal daily activities. This is exactly the behaviour that has helped the horse to survive as a prey animal for over 50 million years. By not expanding energy unless it is definitely required, they are able to maintain a store in case of real emergency. By following a passive leader who uses the least amount of energy throughout the day, horses are not only able to stay quiet and content and getting on with the job of being a horse, they are also insuring their own survival. Passive leaders have proved themselves with the other horses in the herd by showing they can be dependable in their behaviour from day to day. Alphas on the other hand are so inconsistent that others are required to be on alert all the time they are around them.Translated to the office, this is the person that comes in and slams the door in your face one day then the next day is asking you if you fancy going out to lunch.Horses and people generally respond well to passive leadership, unless of course they are an alpha.

I am doing a presentation next week on nature therapy and smell. Many years ago I trained in aromatherapy and enjoyed every moment. My nose has had considerable influence over my brain and subsequent actions. It helps me make a judgment about every place I go to and I have often found places I could linger in simply because of the pleasant scent. Research has shown that sniffing odours you like makes you happier. Scents like peppermint and cinnamon can even reduce aggression.Preparing this presentation made me think about my favourite smell of nature. It has to be horses, but I have written before about the unique calming hormone they release through their skin to calm other horses. So, my second favourite is the stench (because that is what it could aptly be described as) of Pompey Docks. The smell of the sea when the tide is out has a slight undertone of sewage but to me it is comforting. When I worked away for long periods, once I could smell that distinct odour, it symbolised I was nearly home. Smell you see is a unique and learned experience and we can recognise up to 100,000 different odours, but each person smells an odour differently. Smell really is an under-rated sense but can have a powerful impact without us realising - sometimes it is even put down to gut instinct. I am really looking forward to doing this presentation and seeing if I can inspire others about the importance of smelly nature in nourishing minds.

If we are saying that nature is therapeutic then it makes sense to define what nature actually is. The simple definition adopted by Nature Therapy CIC is that nature is everything that was not made by humankind. This can be divided into non living nature such as outer space, stones, wood, air and water - or living nature such as animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria.Nature is what creates balance, inspires us and provides us with the resources we need to exist. As Albert Einstein advised - look deep into the universe and you will understand everything.

I have been busy over the past weeks creating some additional resources. These resources have been designed as self help materials to engage people with nature activities and can stand alone - or be part of the programmes we deliver.Over the years I have worked alongside many people who put up 'blocks' to getting outdoors or active and I am really guilty of this myself. Too tired, too busy, weather too bad, deadline for a report, or keyholes that urgently need cleaning with a cotton bud. These blocks are the equivalent of talk to the hand cos the head and heart aren't listening. In fact the hand isn't listening either - just going through the motions whilst considering its next move of which choccie to pick out of that box left over from Xmas.So, one of the resources is aimed at surfacing and then circumventing the barriers we put up to prevent ourselves from doing anything that might just take us out of our extreme comfort zone. From onsie and TV remote - to gortex galoshes and mud spattered rucksack through the use of a nature therapy journal.Journaling as a self help method has been around for centuries but sometimes it helps to have a bit of structure and ideas to get you started. Journaling helps you explore your own personal blocks. We all have patterns of thinking and behaviour in our lives and nature therapy gives us insights into our ways of being through the use of nature as a metaphor for our lives. This nature therapy journal aims to help you engage with that process.The journal is currently being piloted and feedback from focus groups will take place throughout January to evolve the draft publication. I am really grateful for those people who have freely offered their time and involvement to help and I am so looking forward to hearing how it has been received and their insights. Thank you so much x